Striped and Hybrid Bass and Crappies
Texas Parks and Wildlife suggests fishing for white bass and hybrid striped bass in early spring (late March through April). The waters off the Welch Park region of the lake are recommended before the spring spawning runs. The species are found in the open water following shad during the summer months. Because there is very little shoreline cover, fish use the flooded terrestrial vegetation during high water. Look for bass, crappie and bluegill in the terrestrial vegetation when there are heavy rains and flood conditions exist. You may keep hybrids that are 18 inches and over. There is a daily bag limit of five bass in any combination. Crappies must be 10 inches or longer with a limit of 25 per day.
Bottom Dwellers/Catfish
school of pencilnose catfish image by Lucid_Exposure from
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With three different types of catfishing, at Lake Somerville anglers have many opportunities to land these bottom dwellers. Using sinkers and jigging for catfish is a technique that has yielded positive results. The tree covered area around Deer Island is a prime region on the lake to try for catfish according to reports at the Texas Fishing Forum. Use a 4/0 catfish hook with a chicken gizzard for bait and cast under the tree cover. According to the reports, the catfish will strike at the surface much like bass. Channel and blue catfish must be 12 inches minimum and have a 25 fish per day bag limit. Flathead catfish must be 18 inches or longer and have a five per day bag limit.
Stocking History
The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife maintains Lake Somerville and stocks the lake on a rotating basis. In 2009 TDPW put more than 80,000 hybrid striped bass fingerlings in the lake. The same year TDPW put almost 3000 "ShareLunker" largemouth bass fingerlings into the lake to maintain a healthy fishery. The lake is managed by the state regulations for sport fishing.
Article Written By Eric Cedric
A former Alaskan of 20 years, Eric Cedric now resides in California. He's published in "Outside" and "Backpacker" and has written a book on life in small-town Alaska, "North by Southeast." Cedric was a professional mountain guide and backcountry expedition leader for 18 years. He worked in Russia, Iceland, Greece, Turkey and Belize. Cedric attended Syracuse University and is a private pilot.
